Handicapped man charged with hit and run

2017-03-05 | Donald A. Promnitz

A Fresno man is being ordered to return to court in Madera next week after being arrested for injuring two people in a reportedly drug-induced incident in Madera County, in which he is accused of fleeing the scene of the accident.

According to California Highway Patrol Officer Josh McConnell, the suspect, Donald Anderson, 61, was reportedly driving his 2000 Lexus ES 350 northbound on State Route 41, when he made a left turn just south of Avenue 14. It was at this point, McConnell said, that the Lexus collided with a 2005 Mitsubishi Gallant with three people inside as they were traveling southbound. Two people in the Gallant, a Hispanic male, 67, and a Hispanic female, 66, were reportedly injured. The injured woman was taken by ambulance to Clovis Community Hospital.

Anderson is then alleged to have fled the scene, getting as far as Huntington Road near Avenue 15 when he was contacted by CHP approximately one hour after the crash.

“When he was located, he was found to be potentially under the influence of drugs,” McConnell said. “He appeared to be extremely lethargic, he performed poorly on the field sobriety tests.”
It was also found that Anderson had a previous arrest for a DUI, for which his license had been suspended.

Anderson, however, said at his Tuesday arraignment that because he was severely handicapped, he could not drive, nor could he flee the scene. According to McConnell, the incident is still under investigation, but because Anderson was the registered owner of the Lexus, and because no one else was located in or around the vehicle, Anderson has been left as the sole suspect.

Anderson has been charged on two counts of driving under the influence and causing bodily injury, one count of fleeing the scene of an accident, and a count of driving on a suspended license. He is due in court next Tuesday for a pre-preliminary hearing.